Cricut explore air

I don't have one but a lady at a crop had one she loved hers and said she watched videos on you tube to help her figure out how to use it. She said she uses it was more then her regular cricut.

She had so many neat cuts for her layouts!

It is the nicest machine that ProvoCraft has ever made. For us that have a lot of cartridges it takes a cartridges to a nice new level. The cuts are absolutely stunning and precise. It's not "No more wonky ovals! It's more I can cut perfect ovals at 1/4 inch and a matching 1/4 inch doily to go with it." perfection.

The online software sucks. I keep thinking ProvoCraft made this perfect die cutter and designed terrible software to insult it. You will have to download Chrome, Firefox and MS Edge. You will have to play with all three to see which browser likes Design Space the best. You will need a separate browser while cutting that you will not be using for the Internet. For example if you use Firefox to browse then use the Edge to cut. Save your projects a lot. The software is just temperamental. You will need a fast computer. This is probably the most important. If you have an older computer the software will really lag. You can use iPad offline with the Cricut Explore. That will make it into another Gypsy.

The software is also a lot more basic than the Gypsy. That is a learning curve for us Gypsy users. If your an advanced user of other die cutting software Design Space can be very frustrating. There is no node editing, no offset or inset.

Print & Cut is nice. ProvoCraft did an amazing job with it. The Print & Cuts are accurate. The print quality is not as good as the Imagine. I have a Silhouette Cameo too. Trust me there is a big difference between both machines for Print & Cut. Cameo is a lot more professional. Design Space does a good job for those who are not looking for high quality images. I will not use it to cut my own images but I have no complaints using Print & Cut for my cartridges.

The Cut & Write feature is one of my favorite for the Explore. It does a beautiful job.

Verdict- Yes, the Explore is a great machine that is the best on the market. I don't say that lightly. I have worked with a lot of cutters over the years. The software just sucks. You have to use the software to use the cutter.

These are my two most important things I think everyone needs to do who is wanting to buy the Explore. Download the software and browsers start playing, testing and working with it. If you wait till you get the cutter then your going to be thrown for a loop, frustrated and flummoxed. My second thing download the Design Space manual. Read it as you are working with Design Space. Here's the link to the manual- content.cricut.com/b/pdfs/design-space-manual/_dsfull.pdf The manual did help me a lot. I think the manual is a more of a help than the YouTube videos for this instance. YouTube videos are a nice companion to the manual. Also look for videos where it's not Cricut promoters but real users who are creating.

I hate to say it but I still see a lot in the Cricut community providing lack of help when you have a question. You will get "I love my Cricut, it's not doing that." I want to love my Cricut too and IT IS doing that. Look for those who use their Cricut for not promoting. Last thing really hug on to the help button on Design Space. It does really help. I have had some silly issues and was able to find answers at Cricut's help site. ProvoCraft really did a great and through job with their help files.

The Explore is worth the upgrade if your old Cricut/Gypsy has broken. If you don't want to upgrade yet and your Gypsy has died Cricut Craft Room is really nice. I always enjoyed using it and find it a lot like the Gypsy.

Hope that helps.

Ontarioscrapper, does one need an invitation to join Cricut Misfits. I can't seem to locate it. I once asked a question in a different group and boy did I get kicked to the curb. I love to look at the other groups for inspiration but now I'm too afraid to ask any questions.

I love my Explore, but I did have to up grade my computer and try many browsers before I could get the software to work. The constant changes and upgrades to the cloud-based software has proven to be challenging. When it does work, the explore cuts beautifully.

I love my Cricut Air. I've only had a problem with Design Space twice, but I definitely use only one browser (Chrome). I can use my Cricut and do other things at the same time with Chrome. I do agree that the software isn't very good, and PC really needs to stop using Adobe AIR, but I remain hopeful that they will see the light.    

OntarioScrapper- Thank you about the forums. I admit that seems pretty hopeless. I know both of us are big Cricut users and are active in the communities. I have been actively looking for a forum for Design Space that is outside of Facebook since I know there are many of us who can't or don't want to become Facebook members.

I am one of those who cut out my design and then it disappeared into the Cricut Black Hole. I am not surprised ProvoCraft's response is just redo it.

I knew Design Space was glitchy when I bought it. I only have myself to blame. I do agree with you it's becoming less glitchy or the glitches are different. I was replacing my fading Expression with a new Explore. Now for me I wish I got a Cricut mini. I know that will floor some Cricut users since the mini is no longer made and had a lot of issues. Personally for me it fits better with my crafting needs right now. I can say about the Explore it is a nice machine. I do like it. The only problem is the software. Nothing hardware is wrong with the machine. If the Cricut Explore was my only die cutter then I would be in frustrated tears. The software is just so lots of cussing words. Until Cricut can fix the software issues (When unicorns roam freely in the streets) then it can be a standalone cutter. Where the machine is right now I think a lot of people will need two cutters if they are going to die cut a lot. An occasional user would be fine with only the Explore.

Cricut Misfits may be a secret group. We had the problem of Cricut cheerleaders coming in that basically said all our problems were OUR problems and that we should just suck it up. The group was made so that you could complain without being hand slapped or kicked out of the group. I will ask one of the admins what's going on.

I have one and I love it. I find it very easy to use. Last week, I took it over to a friend's house who has the Cameo and has trouble using it, and she loved it and now wants one. For what I want to use it for, it's perfect.

Well, after reading this, I'm even happier that I was gifted with an original Expression last week. It only had the original cartridge and no mat but I have 2 that should be here tomorrow, the mats should be here in a few days and the other 3 carts should be here by the end of the week.

I was able to get it to work by taping down cardstock on a Dollar Tree clear flexible chopping mat. It cut surprisingly well considering. I think they only used it for one project, blade is still sharp, the protective cover still on the little screen. The whole thing looked like it was just taken out of the box. Just missing the Serenade cartridge and the mat. I would have really loved having the bird cages, birds and trees in that one.

I'm not sure IF I'll be able to use Craft Room, tried to download on my tablet and my desktop is a Vista. Oh well, I'd rather not have to use the computer. I'd like to do some fancy pop up cards, better than the ones I've seen on the cartridges. I think I'd need a Silhouette for that. I have lots of dies and alphabets and kind of hoped to get welded words but maybe I'm better off having as little to do with ProvoCraft as possible.

If you know a group that can help me figure things out, please PM me?
Thanks

I don't *think* you can upload files from an iPad.  That may have changed since the app first came out, but don't think so.

You can't. I don't know if you ever will. Using the iPad gives you more a simple version of Design Space. However if you design on a computer and DS is acting up, you can go to your iPad to cut your project. I actually did that with my iPod because I needed something cut out right away and DS wasn't letting me. It's the Flash program that DS uses on Computers that causes a lot of problems.

What colour are the mats? The new green ones are extra sticky now. Sometimes the stickiness lifts up and they stink like cat pee. The blue ones are good for light paper and cardstock, vinyl. I use the green because I can't find the blue ones at a decent price on Amazon. It only comes a 3 pack. Purple would be for stuff like cardboard. I'm afraid to find out how sticky those ones are! 


Craft Room isn't for the tablet, just Design Space and for Apple products only right now. I have Craft Room on my Windows 8.1 computer and it worked fine the last time I used my E2 (though I haven't used it much in 1.5 years since I got the Explore). I just wished DS wasn't so glitchy because I have done so much more with my Explore. It's the head pounding against the wall when DS acts up that slows me down.

I'm glad you warned me but they were already here in town at the post office. I picked them up this morning. I think cat pee would be an improvement! On my gosh, such a strong chemical smell. I cut out a few things and had to throw it on the porch and air out the living room. They are now hanging in the garage. I hope the smell eventually goes away. But, if it lifts up, I'll just pull it up and put Tack it Over and Over or something else on it!

It is an improvement over my improvised test mat, that one was curling at the corners and hard to feed in because it was curling. I hope the smell goes away, if not, I maybe be cutting with it on the front porch! In that case, I for sure won't be using Craft room.